With September 9 just a few days away when Apple is going to unveil its new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, we have listed some precautionary steps for those iPhone owners who are planning to sell their old iPhone before upgrading to this upcoming iPhone 6s or the 6s Plus. Everyone who is planning on going for a trade-in program, or hand over their old iPhone to someone, or going to sell it on eBay or Craiglist, must read all the steps mentioned below so they may prepare their device for the sell the right way.

What to do before selling your old iPhone

There are several things that you should consider doing before selling your old device if you want to maximize its value.

1. Unlock your iPhone

An iPhone which is bought on-contract usually can only be used on a single network, which means there will me less number of potential buyers for the device. However, on the other hand, if an iPhone can be used on any carrier, anywhere around the globe, is an iPhone that anyone would be willing to buy.

If your old iPhone is locked to a single carrier, check with your carrier to find out if you are eligible to get it unlocked. Some carriers require you to use the device a specific period of time while other may charge a small unlocking fee. If the unlocking charges are not that high, it’s worth getting it unlocked because it may get you a better price for your old iPhone.

2. Backup your iPhone

If you’re planning on upgrading to iPhone 6s and sell your old iPhone, you must ensure that you’ve backup you device either using iTunes or on iCloud. You can follow these detailed guides on backing up your iOS device:

3. Disable Activation Lock

Make sure to disable activation lock which is automatically enabled when you enable the Find My iPhone feature. Activation Lock is an anti-theft mechanism that disables a stolen of lost device and renders it useless for anyone who is not the right owner of the device. To disable Activation Lock:

Go to Settings > iCloud > Sign Out > Sign Out > Delete from my iPhone

4. Disable iMessage

Go to Settings > Messages > turn Off iMessage Toggle

5. Wipe your personal data

Once you have backed up your device safely, now its time to wipe it and erase all of your personal data such as photos, messages, files, etc from it before handing it over to the new owner.

Go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings

Tap on Erase iPhone, then confirm by tapping on Erase iPhone again, enter you passcode, enter you Apple ID to disable Activation lock if you have not already and remove Find my iPhone from the device.

6. Clean your iPhone body

Make sure you’ve cleaned up your device thoroughly before selling it. Whether you iPhone is in mint condition or has gone through a rough use, take some time to carefully wipe it with a damp cloth to remove all the dirt, oil, lint and fingerprints from the site. Seems and ports area should be paid closer attention.

An iPhone must be cleaned properly before taking it photos that you want to put up on a classifieds website. To take good pictures of your device, make sure you take photos in a well-lit environment, such as indirect sunlight. You should capture the shots from all angles of the devices, make sure to include all possible looks of your device. In case, there are any visible scratches or nicks, make sure to show them in the photo.

7. Add Cables, cases, and the box

If you’re planning on selling the device yourself, including the data cable of your iPhone, AC charger, and its original box can give you an edge over other iPhone sellers. Put all these things in the nice and original iPhone box and set it aside, so it’s ready to ship.

That’s it, once you have completed the above-mentioned steps, you device is ready to be sold.